Author Topic: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?  (Read 6248 times)

NewJourney

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 I hear lots of talk about 60k 100k 150k+ but what about just retail jobs, secretary, owning your own small business, lots of side cash jobs, etc. just curious. If you have, what was your annual net salary? How did you do it? What age did you retire by?

APowers

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2015, 11:40:32 PM »
I'm not FIRE yet, but currently on my way to hitting FI at 35 having worked at a grocery store deli ($15/hr + health ins) and currently delivering pizza (about $15/hr after all expenses).

27 with wife + 2 kids. I think my max income was last year, as I was transitioning from grocery store to pizza and working both (7 days/week) ==> $39k.

KisKis

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2015, 01:40:39 PM »
I'm not there yet, but my FIL is early retired and deckhands for DH who is a captain.  It's a seasonal job and FIL is one of a few part-timers on rotation.  He works to have the income necessary to avoid the ACA Medicare gap, so about $15k annually.  Retired at 44, 51 now.

I joke with DH about getting a PT job at a retail or grocery store so we can learn the local sale and dumpster schedules.  DH is the sort who can keep himself busy without a job, but I think I will want some PT work here and there.     
« Last Edit: November 19, 2015, 01:42:17 PM by KisKis »

Gone Fishing

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2015, 02:16:28 PM »
I'm committing to taking at least a full year completely off work, but depending on how things are that point, I may look for a little part time work. $10-$15 an hour is probably about average for standard part time jobs in my area.  I don't think I would want to work more than 15 hours or so a week.   

arebelspy

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Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2015, 05:48:36 AM »
I first interpreted this thread like KisKis and So Close did, but I think that's wrong, and APowers had it right.

The title leads one to think OP is asking about enjoying small jobs in ER, but upon reading it's more clear that their question is: has anyone ER'd while only holding small time jobs, and never having an actual "career," I believe.

I don't see that it matters though, just your savings rate (spending and income). 

OP, maybe you will have more success asking for people who ER'd while earning less than an inflation-adjusted $X (your choice, whatever you're looking for).  :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

NewJourney

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2015, 08:18:22 AM »
I first interpreted this thread like KisKis and So Close did, but I think that's wrong, and APowers had it right.

The title leads one to think OP is asking about enjoying small jobs in ER, but upon reading it's more clear that their question is: has anyone ER'd while only holding small time jobs, and never having an actual "career," I believe.

I don't see that it matters though, just your savings rate (spending and income). 

OP, maybe you will have more success asking for people who ER'd while earning less than an inflation-adjusted $X (your choice, whatever you're looking for).  :)

Yes! This is more of what I was going for. Thank you :-)

pachnik

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2015, 08:39:25 AM »
Kind of.

I work as a legal administrative assistant - so median income of about $52,000/per year.  But I didn't find this website until I was 48 or 49 years old.  I should hit my number in about 5 years which puts me at 56 years of age.  So not exactly early retirement.  However, I have no doubt that if I had come across this information when I started working I would have been able to retire earlier.  Not sure if this helps. 

arebelspy

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2015, 08:47:00 AM »
Yes, I'm kind of confused on what counts.

Are you looking for people who didn't spend more than a certain amount of time (say, 3 years or less) at any particular job?

Or people who made under a certain amount, or what?

Like, does this count:

I work as a legal administrative assistant - so median income of about $52,000/per year. 

And if so, why or why not?

A little more clarity on the question might get you more responses. :)

I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

APowers

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2015, 04:36:46 PM »
Yes, I'm kind of confused on what counts.

Are you looking for people who didn't spend more than a certain amount of time (say, 3 years or less) at any particular job?

Or people who made under a certain amount, or what?

Like, does this count:

I work as a legal administrative assistant - so median income of about $52,000/per year. 

And if so, why or why not?

A little more clarity on the question might get you more responses. :)

Yes. I am also interested in finding other people who are planning/able to reach FIRE on a "low" income, so this thread is of particular interest to me.

FIRE Back

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« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2015, 07:56:25 PM »
...
« Last Edit: July 26, 2019, 10:40:28 AM by FIRE Back »

arebelspy

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2015, 02:55:12 AM »

Yes. I am also interested in finding other people who are planning/able to reach FIRE on a "low" income, so this thread is of particular interest to me.

There's this thread:
Anyone not making +100k & making good progress? Please share your success story.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

APowers

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Re: Anyone enjoying early retirement with just small jobs vs careers?
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2015, 10:43:28 AM »

Yes. I am also interested in finding other people who are planning/able to reach FIRE on a "low" income, so this thread is of particular interest to me.

There's this thread:
Anyone not making +100k & making good progress? Please share your success story.

I saw that and got kind of excited.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!